cubs
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Post by cubs on Aug 8, 2011 18:54:36 GMT 10
Has anyone thought for a minute that maybe, just maybe, the person running the sites doesn't want to be identified because they are just happy with the way the site is now. Perhaps they don't want every Joe Blow contacting them with information and making suggestions on what to put up. They may be happy gathering information from the RSS feeds they currently have, sifting through the crap and posting links to the important and/or interesting stuff. It's entirely possible that the person behind this all is one of us. Perhas somebody that has commented on this forum today. Perhaps somebody you saw at a baseball game over the weekend. Some people just like their privacy. Don't take this as me sticking up for former Inmate Jarrett. I just feel that everybody has jumped to conclusions here and assumed the worst when infact all they may be doing is ruining the honest hard work of somebody we all know. I hear what you're saying spice, but as kc and a couple of others have pointed out, there is a lot of incriminating evidence here. Unfortunately the crimes that Jarrett previously was charged with are one of the lowest acts in our community, and it is up to all of us to help protect the many young baseball followers out there. If I was the editor of ABD, I can tell you I would have been on the phone to kc or the ABF or someone to put out a press release to say that I had no involvement with Jarrett is any way, shape or form. I could still stay anonymous if I liked, but no comment from ABD to me shows only one thing. They can't defend the accusations. If it was your site spice, would you not come out and defend yourself against being involved with a person that has previously been charged with crimes against our young and vulnerable? I would have thought any self respecting person would want to distance themselves from being thought to have any involvement with that ****
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Post by trober on Aug 8, 2011 19:44:36 GMT 10
Does the editor of ABD read this forum? Also has anyone asked the question. I know of one person asking who was responsible for the site by commenting on the Facebook page but that's it
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2011 20:25:58 GMT 10
trober, I can assure you that the editor of Australian Baseball Digest knows who we are, where we are and what we are concerned about.
His silence is deafening.
Oh, and without putting too fine a point on this, maybe you'd also like to make contact with ABD to inquire about the editor's identity and his response to disturbing suggestions that have been raised here and elsewhere.
Good luck with that.
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Post by anotherblodyfiasco on Aug 9, 2011 9:49:07 GMT 10
trober, I can assure you that the editor of Australian Baseball Digest knows who we are, where we are and what we are concerned about. His silence is deafening. Oh, and without putting too fine a point on this, maybe you'd also like to make contact with ABD to inquire about the editor's identity and his response to disturbing suggestions that have been raised here and elsewhere. Good luck with that. Let's take a minute and think about what has happened. There are a lot of people on here who have made claims about the ABD site, and a lot have put their name to it. Our baseball community is a small one, and I'm sure that the editor of ABD would be well aware of the claims being made on this site. Even if he wasn't an avid reader of this site (but I suspect he is), so many people are talking about the ABD and who is behind it that it would have filtered back to the editor by now. As some others have said, if it were me, I'd be very quick to dispel any rumors that Jarrett was involved if I had anything to do with ABD. In fact, I sent a message to the ABD facebook page saying that there was talk of Jarrett being involved, and have not heard anything back. A simple reply may have swayed my thinking, but the silence is deafening. I also give kc a lot of credit (don't know him personally but seems an upstanding person and well respected from his writings on here) in that I'm sure he would have tried to make contact with ABD many times before making any statements. KC seems like a good journalist and I'm sure would have tried to contact all sources before making any comment. From some of the other rumors that get taken off this site from the editors, their failure to remove this speaks volumes to me. I hope the ABF have referred this site on to authorities, as we all should. I have sent a message to the address that someone posted previously. If the ABD is proved to be conducted by a decent person without a criminal history relating to children, then fantastic. But there are too many suspicious things here for the editor not to come forward and let us know that Jarrett has no connection at all. The parent from the USA made a good point in that most of these sites only have like buttons attached, and do not befriend people. Why was Jarrett's mobile number on the bottom of the page (which has now been removed since it was mentioned on here)? Why won't the editor answer his emails asking if Jarrett is involved? I hope we are wrong and that Jarrett has not infiltrated the baseball world again through this site, but it is too important of an issue to give ABD the benefit of the doubt. In this instance, for the sake of the safety of our kids, I think ABD needs to be seen as guilty until they step forward and prove otherwise.
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Post by pirates on Aug 9, 2011 11:32:43 GMT 10
I was told last night that some of our college boys were contacted during their first year at college and were interviewed by someone from ABD. Someone needs to clear this up ASAP and confirm who’s who. It makes me sick to think that someone could be getting his jollies by stalking our boys in the hope of what?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2011 15:17:05 GMT 10
Hey Duke can we change the thread title to be something more akin (now) to the topic so that it doesnt get lost or misunderstood by those new to this important issue perhaps ?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2011 16:22:00 GMT 10
While the author is free to change the title, authentic, what I've done in the meantime is to stick the thread at the top of the Vic page, given its importance.
With so many worrying questions unanswered, I doubt that the discussion will be misunderstood or just go away.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2011 17:08:17 GMT 10
As someone who was at College last year, I was contacted by someone at ABD often who asked questions about how the team was going, how I myself was going, and how the other Aussies were going. There was no invasive/inappropriate questions asked, at any time, however when I asked who they were, they said something along of the lines of "It doesn't matter, but you know me."
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the ABD's articles on other guys I knew at College as well as reading about the Pro guys. It's something that we need more of, as it certainly gave me alot more insight into the goings on of many Aussie baseballers and how they were faring.
If it is someone who is just providing information of senior aged baseballers, and nothing more, is it worth condemning them without reason? Understandably, if they are contacting under-aged players and making inappropriate comments, then something must happen to stop it.
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Post by heartbeat on Aug 9, 2011 19:15:19 GMT 10
As someone who was at College last year, I was contacted by someone at ABD often who asked questions about how the team was going, how I myself was going, and how the other Aussies were going. There was no invasive/inappropriate questions asked, at any time, however when I asked who they were, they said something along of the lines of "It doesn't matter, but you know me." I thoroughly enjoyed reading the ABD's articles on other guys I knew at College as well as reading about the Pro guys. It's something that we need more of, as it certainly gave me alot more insight into the goings on of many Aussie baseballers and how they were faring. If it is someone who is just providing information of senior aged baseballers, and nothing more, is it worth condemning them without reason? Understandably, if they are contacting under-aged players and making inappropriate comments, then something must happen to stop it. You are missing the point Lando. This guy is a convicted Child Sex Offender. If you, or someone close to you had ever been preyed upon by this type of monster you would have a clearer understanding.
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Post by oldracer on Aug 9, 2011 20:13:29 GMT 10
"gradually we are getting the players to let us know what they are up to and slowly the players are beginning to trust us i guess"
as sent to one of our college players from ABD. What the hell has trust got to do with anything, we're talking cold hard facts here, the player played good or he didn't, all that is required is to report the facts.
There is an agenda, a massive agenda behind all this don't be mistaken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by duke on Aug 9, 2011 21:00:46 GMT 10
I’m glad the Forum sees fit to keep this thread front and centre.
Since my original post, I’ve read or heard nothing to suggest that the “serious mail” is not accurate. People are right in saying that if the editor of the Digest is not a Forum member, then he will by now have become aware of the discussions going on. For sure.
With all the questions being asked, the ball is in ABD’s court. If Jarrett is not involved, surely the website editor would have moved by now.
To lando. Yes, you have missed the point, but you do make an important observation.
Aussie baseball is crying out for detailed reporting and quality writing, especially with so much now happening. What this Digest has done is to opportunistically fill a vacuum created by the refusal or inability of the ABF and the state associations (and maybe to a lesser extent the ABL) to provide the required service.
That is in no way suggesting that any baseball organisation is culpable for criminal or unethical behaviour of rogue members or individuals on a different wave length to most of us. But it is a reminder to organisations of their responsibility to provide leadership and direction to their members and supporters.
Opportunism is a skill in which Jarrett and any paedophile mates will be well-versed and practised. “Trust me” is what he purportedly used to tell his stable of young players under BJS Management. "We're interested in your holistic development". Crap.
“Trust me” is precisely what anonymous ABD management is now asking of the baseball community. And people are still falling for this hollow plea, even after Jarrett's crimes of just a few years ago.
Jeez, I’m not going to trust someone who won’t tell me their name, or show me their face? Are you?
Is there any other online baseball reporting service, anywhere, where the creator or editor has gone to such pains to hide his identity? And where someone has somehow been granted immunity and has people going in to bat for an anonymous person?
Nuh, didn’t think so.
In the continuing absence of any credible advice to the contrary, it seems that Australian Baseball Digest is the shopfront to what might be happening, or what is intended, through the associated Facebook pages.
And as a PS, has anyone else noticed the consistency of response from ABD when people ask the editor to identify himself? A response along the lines, "I choose to remain anonymous, but you know me". What's that about?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2011 21:17:17 GMT 10
OK so at least two people have asked 'him' who HE is and they got a similar response along the lines of 'it doesnt matter, but you know me'.
WTF.
Aside from how creepy that response is it seems to me that it may well be the predator that we think it is, and if its not then Id expect we'd know by now (or pretty bloody soon) wouldnt we ?
Ive worked with victims of these type of crimes before and be there no doubt, the methods used by these sort of evil individuals is such that the misery it leaves behind is doubled by the fact that it starts with a building of 'trust' and ends in shattered lives !
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cubs
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Post by cubs on Aug 9, 2011 21:26:38 GMT 10
In the continuing absence of any credible advice to the contrary, it seems that Australian Baseball Digest is the shopfront to what might be happening, or what is intended, through the associated Facebook pages. This sentence says it all.
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Post by dickieknee on Aug 10, 2011 12:25:52 GMT 10
Is there some sort of proof of ID that the media are meant to carry? Do they have to identify themselves as coming from XXX before they start?
This issue goes deeper than a man posing as something else. It goes to how we can trust any person purporting to be media. Does this not call into question privacy? Even police identify themselves before asking questions of people.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2011 20:22:05 GMT 10
Easy guys, I don't feel like I have missed any points here.
I simply added onto Pirates point about ABD contacting College guys, and relayed discussions we had.
I am well aware of who Trevor Jarrett is and what he has done, and one of the Aussies at my College even joked that it was probably Trevor Jarrett running the ABD sites.
I know his history, and I understand that it is not right at all (if it does turn out to be him). My memory of ABD articles seems to focus on Senior/College baseballers (correct me if I'm wrong, just going off vague memory).
All I was saying was that I enjoy the information ABD supplies regarding mates at College and Pro guys (as opposed to me sifting through dead-end site after dead-end site).
The silence is deafening, and I cant/won't defend that. We need more people reporting on Aussie baseball, and KC is one of those few who does a phenomenal job, one that doesn't gain enough praise and recognition. I would hate to see K.C, as well as others who have done the right thing, have their names tarnished because of any wrongdoing by someone who SHOULD know better.
I hope that we are all wrong and it turns out to be a legitimate operation run by someone in the know, and not Jarrett (reporting on Senior Aussie baseballers is fine by me, but a registered Sex Offender befriending kids on FB is definitely not)!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2011 22:22:39 GMT 10
I was informed today - by a totally credible source - that police are on the job and are currently investigating the ABD and ABD Facebook pages to determine any illegality that might have been committed.
Police have indicated that the investigation may take between six and eight weeks.
While we would prefer a rapid resolution to the concerns expressed, we surely want authorities to be thorough in their investigations. Should the ABD and ABD Facebook editor be someone innocent of any wrongdoing or ulterior motive, then it gives that person plenty of time to devise a strategy to deal with the worrying questions raised.
This thread will remain in a prominent Forum position because of its importance. Comment is invited, either directly to the Forum or by PM.
Now that the questions and concerns are out there, it is up to individuals to decide on their approach - pending the police investigations.
While the Digest continues to provide useful and timely information (as lando mentions), the Facebook pages appear to remain a cause for serious concern.
For what it is worth, my suggestion is that anyone emailing ABD or being contacted by ABD does not disclose any information whatever until they are able to clearly and unequivocally identify who it is that they are dealing with.
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Post by parentofone on Aug 12, 2011 21:53:38 GMT 10
It's great to read that the police are investigating these claims against Australian Baseball Digest & the associated facebook page. I urge everyone who visits this forum to maintain the rage against this stick. Anyone who continues to visit that webpage, regardless of the content, or befriend them through the facebook page is disregarding the effect that peodophilic behaviour has on the community. I'm sure every parent will be outraged & offended by those who knowingly continue to openly support this monster. Trevor Jarrett is a convicted Child Sex Offender who has direct links to the afore mentioned sites. If any of you reading this post have any reason to believe you or your loved ones have been affected by this type of behaviour, regardless of the perpetrator then please, please, please don't let it remain hidden. Go to the police with any information you see as relevent regardless of how insignificant you may think that information is. Peodofilia is a vicious, sickening crime against the most vulnerable in our community. Please don't try to ignore it. At the very least every one who is reading this should contact the ABD editor to ask this simple question....WHO ARE YOU? There is strength in numbers.
God bless you all.
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Post by Spice on Aug 16, 2011 13:02:51 GMT 10
Good to hear my taxes are being payed to some officers that are actually investigating something. As I've said earlier I won't be deteting (or stop visiting) the site until there is a clear answer on who this is. Should it turn out to be the person in question I'll act appropriately.
Thanks for the update KC!
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Post by heartbeat on Aug 16, 2011 13:46:18 GMT 10
Good to hear my taxes are being payed to some officers that are actually investigating something. As I've said earlier I won't be deteting (or stop visiting) the site until there is a clear answer on who this is. Should it turn out to be the person in question I'll act appropriately. Thanks for the update KC! Good on you spice. It's your democratic right to sit back and do nothing. Oh, but if it turns out to be a pedophile operating these sites then it great to hear that you will once again action your democratic right to act appropriately. Sorry spice, give me a break.
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Post by ifyabuildit on Aug 16, 2011 14:20:43 GMT 10
i reckon we shuld just get this dude locked up for good. its gonna give baseball a terrible name if it hits the TV news!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by barb05 on Aug 16, 2011 23:56:48 GMT 10
I've got to say, I've been watching this thread with interest based solely on the way social networking legislation and/or policing may come in to play.
To be straight forward (pardon the pun) if you've got nothing to hide then you don't hide it.
I do agree with Lando, the Aussie baseball updates are great and I enjoy getting them, but as both a parent and more importantly a non-f$cked-up human being I would not hesitate to drop any association or related connection with any-scum falling into that category (for want of a more derogatory way of putting it).
This isn't looking good.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2011 20:56:16 GMT 10
barb is right. The ABD/ABD Facebook situation is not looking good.
Rumours and allegations have been out there for at least a couple of weeks now. There has still been no satisfactory response from our nameless ABD/Facebook editor. I am aware of people who have emailed ABD seeking a sensible response. Every one to whom I have spoken has been fobbed off with the same inane crap about “being too busy”, “not caring about rumours” and in at least one case told, “I’ll just keep posting”.
There are only two possible scenarios here:
First, the manager of both sites IS paedophile Trevor Jarrett, as the overwhelming weight of evidence suggests. Obviously he would not be in a position to own up.
Secondly, the manager is some other (ostensibly innocent) party, who would have to be unbelievably arrogant, naïve or downright stupid to allow all of this to continue, when he knows that a simple, private phone call or email could go some way towards clearing his name of any wrongdoing or any ulterior motive.
More importantly even than clearing his name, such action would help serve to reassure the baseball public that ABD and ABD Facebook were indeed above board and posed no real or potential threat to our young people.
The Australian baseball community is relatively small. News and information tend to travel very quickly. Secrets are a rare commodity. You would think that someone, somewhere, would surely have definitive knowledge of who is behind ABD/ABD Facebook. A family member, a friend, an associate. Someone who knows, and who cares.
Yet all we have is silence. This inevitably leads to the conclusion that maybe the editor has no committed family support (in the knowledge of what he does), has no friends who would like to be identified, nor any associates who would be prepared to declare a connection with him (in the knowledge of what he does).
While the ABF might have dropped the ball over this Jarrett grub a few years ago, it is surely now committed to help ensure that our game is no longer tainted by paedophiles and other such undesirables.
Governing bodies monitor this Forum. So I'll throw something out there.
The following ABF memorandum was sent to state associations on 21 May 2010.
President and CEO – State Baseball Associations
Matter regarding Mr. Trevor Jarrett
Dear All,
The Australian Baseball Federation (ABF) has been informed that Mr. Trevor Jarrett may have contacted several members of the Baseball community and suggested that he was intending to resume an involvement with the sport of Baseball in Australia.
Please be advised that in February 2009, the ABF Board formally revoked his membership as well as any accreditation, approval, consent and or invitation to attend any Australian Baseball event. Additionally the ABF Board prohibited Mr. Jarrett from having access to ABF athletes or members, access to ABF information or access to any ABF facility.
Although Mr. Jarrett has recently been released from prison, he remains on the NSW Child Protection Register. Furthermore, the ABF has written to Mr. Jarrett and advised him that the ABF will not grant or renew any agent accreditation to any organisation in which he is involved or associated; nor grant any invitation or funding support for any athlete who purports to be represented by Mr. Jarrett or that associated organisation.
The ABF also has prohibited Mr. Jarrett from entering any office, playing or training venue, facility or general space that is owned, leased or licensed by the ABF or any of its Baseball affiliates.
I am writing to all State Baseball Associations to request that these actions are adopted at all levels of our Sport and diligently exercised.
Should you require any additional information or need to discuss this situation further, please feel free to contact me directly.
Yours sincerely,
John May Chief Executive Officer
As the peak governing body in the sport, the ABF acted strongly - albeit belatedly - at that time. The Federation needs to be eternally vigilant. It should make a point of being aware of developments in any area of concern and taking appropriate and timely action.
However, when John May wrote of Jarrett “intending to resume an involvement with the sport of baseball in Australia”, does anyone know to what that actually referred? Did the ABF have any specific inkling of what Jarrett might be up to?
My sense is that Australian Baseball Digest and ABD Facebook were gaining momentum around about that time (early to mid-2010). Both projects would constitute a renewed "involvement" after a period of incarceration.
While I can understand the ABF’s reluctance to comment on what are current suspicions and allegations, if the Federation knows anything conclusive that might shed light on this matter then it should make that knowledge known.
If the ABF knows clearly and categorically who is behind ABD and ABD Facebook, then it has an obligation to let the baseball public know, so that people can be properly informed - one way or the other.
If the ABF has no knowledge of who is behind ABD and ABD Facebook, then it equally has an obligation to recommend a “user beware” approach to its members, players and supporters.
Administrators cannot sit on their hands here. There is too much at stake.
FOOTNOTE: As at tonight (17 August, around 9.41 PM), I can't seem to log into the ABDigest Facebook site (I'm a "friend", you see). It seems to be defaulting directly to the iconic U.S. Baseball Digest site (established 1941) or back to the ABD website.
Anyone else having the same problem? And what might it mean?
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Post by barb05 on Aug 17, 2011 21:50:16 GMT 10
It appears that the ABD Facebook page has been removed. All posts from that group have also been removed.
KC, in any instance where this type of person is suspected of running a Facebook page, Facebook can be contacted directly and their legal team MUST then take action once notified. Failure of Facebook to act in this type of situation is criminal negligence as their entire function is to provide a network for people to connect, stay in touch, etc. Where one might argue that there's a grey area, there is none here. No recognized social networking medium (or baseball forum for that matter) can allow registered sex offenders the opportunity to connect with minors.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2011 21:56:42 GMT 10
My questions were rhetorical, barb, but thank you for your response.
It looks like we might be making some progress, although nothing has yet been proven categorically.
Let's see, now, if governing authorities will be motivated to act rather than leaving the lifting to well-intentioned rogues and baseball lifers involved with this Forum.
Social media is rapidly becoming a minefield. It will be interesting to see how it is handled, over time, by our legislators.
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Post by pirates on Aug 18, 2011 10:50:51 GMT 10
Unfortunately if you lay down with dogs you can wake up with flees…. The ABF by not acting in the first place years ago allows its self to look like supporters of this guy or not giving a nuts about our young players.
Fact ABF were contact weeks ago at the same time police were contacted about this site and about the phone number attached to the site being Jarrett’s old number. Fact within less than 24 hours this number disappeared from the site. Who contacted him and alerted him and told him to remove his number. Fact the site has been designed by the same group that designed Jarrett’s player management site which is hosted out of San Francesco. Fact paedophiles are known to work in groups………you can see how things can start to look. How hard is it for the ABF to act on this, why all the delay.
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Post by Spice on Aug 18, 2011 11:43:03 GMT 10
When I first became aware of the allegations towards the site I called the number on the facebook page. It was a Thursday night. A woman answered the phone so I asked for Dale. She said I must have the wrong number and also said she gets a few calls for that person. The fact the page has now been removed together with pirates' comments above are enough evidence for me. Does anyone know what his forum username is? I bet he's a regular!
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Post by wako on Aug 18, 2011 12:08:31 GMT 10
Fact the site has been designed by the same group that designed Jarrett’s player management site which is hosted out of San Francesco. What group is that? ABD looks like a regular old wordpress blog to me.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2011 12:16:41 GMT 10
spice, it is extremely unlikely that Jarrett (or any of his dodgy associates) would seek to be a member of this particular Forum.
Even though most people choose an online alias, it would not be difficult to use email and ISP addresses to identify them and/or where they are from.
We look at each new member joining the Forum. If it is clear (as it often is with spammers), or highly likely that the person is someone we don't want on board (the likes of Jarrett would fit that description), then we simply ban them from membership.
Nothing at all stopping anyone from tuning in as a guest, though.
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Post by Goblin on Aug 18, 2011 19:51:00 GMT 10
It appears that the ABD Facebook page has been removed. All posts from that group have also been removed. KC, in any instance where this type of person is suspected of running a Facebook page, Facebook can be contacted directly and their legal team MUST then take action once notified. Failure of Facebook to act in this type of situation is criminal negligence as their entire function is to provide a network for people to connect, stay in touch, etc. Where one might argue that there's a grey area, there is none here. No recognized social networking medium (or baseball forum for that matter) can allow registered sex offenders the opportunity to connect with minors. This cannot be viewed as a coincidence. To all those who sent inquiries to the relevant bodies asking the probing questions, you have been answered. The bell has now been rung.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2011 20:22:41 GMT 10
While some things seem to be happening that might lead to the truth of this situation being fully revealed, we should not take anything for granted.
The suspicions and assertions raised in this thread seem to hold credence. Some of the apparent "evidence" could be circumstantial, some is compelling.
If there is any guilt to be established, it needs to be "beyond reasonable doubt". While some will argue that we have reached that point already, it is imperative that anyone who has any new and relevant information comes forward.
If you have any other information that may be relevant to these matters, please pass it on (anonymously, if you wish) to Crime Stoppers.
The National Crime Stoppers hotline is 1800 333000. To avoid any delay or confusion in submission of information, mention that it refers to the apparent involvement of Trevor Jarrett, who has been convicted of child sex crimes in New South Wales.
Jarrett is listed on the New South Wales Child Sex Offenders' Register.
In the meantime, there is still no response from governing authorities to the growing unease in the baseball community.
Explosive as the implications might be, it's time to show some leadership.
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